


Facing the Music

by mrs_leary (julie)



Category: Merlin (TV) RPF
Genre: Age Difference, M/M, May/December Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-03
Updated: 2018-05-03
Packaged: 2019-05-01 14:49:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14522982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/julie/pseuds/mrs_leary
Summary: Richard has invited Colin home for lunch one Sunday, and announces he wants to broach a serious topic. It's time to update his will.





	Facing the Music

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the **Merlin RPF Prompt Fest 2018** , to my own last-minute prompt.

# Facing the Music 

♦

“I have a proposal for you,” said Richard, as he sat back down on the sofa near Colin. And then Richard reached for his topped-up glass of wine and quaffed an inelegant mouthful, as if having a sudden attack of nerves.

Colin picked up his own glass, and took a long sip, savouring the flavour of the dark red wine. There was no doubt about it: Richard enjoyed the finer things in life. His London home – to which he’d invited Colin for lunch that fine Sunday – was sparsely furnished, but each and every thing in it was of the best quality, and worked together beautifully in terms of colour and texture and style and whatever else. Colin was no interior designer, but he could recognise class when he saw it, and if this living room had been a theatre set, it would portray the owner as somebody with good taste, a liking for comfort, and the means to indulge both.

Richard had remained silent since his opening line, staring down into his wine as if looking for further inspiration. Well, Colin knew all too well that alcohol wasn’t an overly reliable source, so eventually he offered encouragement. “A proposition, aye,” he prompted with a wink.

“A _proposal_ ,” Richard corrected him – though a small smile and a touch of pink in his cheeks betrayed the fact that he was pleased despite himself with Colin’s mild flirtatiousness. “You must do me the honour of taking me seriously, Colin.”

“All right,” he agreed in easy tones. “Tell me about it, so.”

Richard nodded – but then looked away, and shifted restlessly as if he were about to get up again and maybe escape. Then at last he began an explanation, though it didn’t seem to be about work in general or a production in particular. “I’m turning eighty-two in July,” Richard remarked, “and I need to update my will, for various reasons. Not an unexpected task at my age, of course – though it’s never too soon to be drawing up a will, Colin, as I trust you’re aware.”

Colin was peering at the man through narrowed eyes, vastly wary of where this was going. But Richard had paused as if actually wanting a response. After another moment, Colin lifted his chin to indicate acknowledgement of this point – probably a bit abruptly, a bit impatiently. 

“Yes,” Richard agreed in humbled tones, “don’t let me get side-tracked.”

“ _Yes_ , I have a will,” Colin responded, as he probably should have in the first place. “The solicitor insisted, when I bought my flat.”

“That’s good, then.”

“What’s this about, Richard?”

Richard gave a bone-deep sigh, and braced himself with his hands on his thighs. “Moira will get the houses in Glasgow and Stirling, of course, and I’ve helped her and her family a great deal over the years – tuition fees, deposits for mortgages, that kind of thing. I haven’t stinted them. But they’ve all made their own lives, they’re all doing very well for themselves. Anything more will be a luxury rather than a necessity.” Richard took a breath, and Colin wasn’t stupid enough to interrupt him this time. Suddenly Richard was looking across at him and blurting out, “I want you to have this house, Colin, and everything in it.”

He felt himself go bone-white in shock.

“And then the money, anything over and above the real estate, to be divided equally between you and Moira.”

“You can’t do that, Richard,” Colin rasped out.

Richard just looked at him. Obviously he could. Maybe he even had! But …

“Moira’s your sister! And I’m … I’m not anything … not to you.”

Richard winced, and said rather painfully, “I consider you a friend, Colin, a good friend – and a highly respected colleague.”

“But why – ?”

“Of course I’d always hoped I’d find … someone. These days we could even make it official!” Richard shook his head in wonderment. “But I’m much too old now for such daydreams. It’s time to wake up and face reality. That’s what I decided.”

Colin shook his head, too, in disbelief. “No, Richard, you’re never too old – and I know you won’t quit hoping. You’re such a romantic!”

“Am I?”

“Yes! Everybody knows that.” Colin groaned a little in frustration, struggling to find the right words, the undeniable argument. “What if you did this, and then the very next day you found your someone, and there I am, half in your life and half out of it – ‘neither fish nor fowl nor good red herring’, as my mum would say. How would that be? You’d have to redo your will all over again, and you’d feel bad about cutting me out, it would be this whole great mess – and your someone would be wondering what the hell I ever meant to you, and how worried he should be.”

Silence. They were both quiet for a time, once Colin had finally ground to a halt, both of them gazing down in thought. Then they each lifted their glasses of wine, and took restorative gulps – and shared a grin over the silliness of simultaneous action.

Finally Richard said, “You’re being very kind to an old man. I didn’t think – Well, I knew you wouldn’t just accept it, Colin, but I hadn’t anticipated you … that you’d be arguing on behalf of someone who … who will no doubt remain an imaginary friend.”

“Hey, don’t sell yourself short,” Colin said softly yet stoutly, reaching to brush fingertips across the back of Richard’s hand.

There was a tremor, then – an earthquake, perhaps hundreds of miles away – only faint, but they both shuddered a little, sitting there on the sofa. And when it was past they glanced around with clear eyes, as if only now waking from an odd dream. 

More wine was obviously called for. Then, when they were settled again, Colin asked, “What did you _think_ the problem would be?”

Richard glanced at him wryly. “That you wouldn’t like the idea of … when I’m gone –”

“No, you’re right, I don’t like that thought.”

Another droll glance before Richard clarified, “When I’m gone, and it becomes known you’re in my will … Maybe the newspapers won’t care by then, or not about me, anyway. Maybe no one will think twice about it. But what I fear is that people will jump to certain conclusions, and have a field day at your expense.” Richard was full and overflowing with misgivings. “Colin, I know you value your privacy as much as I value mine – and you’ll have to face the noise alone, too. I’ll have taken the easy way out.”

The idea wasn’t pleasant in any of its aspects. “I suppose,” Colin said slowly, thinking aloud, “even if we’re as discreet as possible, it would still be a matter of public record, once you’re gone – if anybody went looking.”

“As you say …”

Colin pondered this for a while. It was true he didn’t like anybody knowing his business – anybody who wasn’t family, anyway. He drew a line even with them when it came to his personal life, though he supposed that would have to change if he ever found a ‘someone’ of his own. Finances, too, weren’t anybody else’s business at all. 

It belatedly occurred to Colin that he could try one other argument. “Richard. What you said about your family, about them being well off in their own right. I am, too, you know. I mean, when it comes to real estate, I only own that flat – but it’s convenient, and I don’t need anything more. I’ve invested, otherwise. I’ll be all right, whatever happens.”

“I assumed as much,” Richard agreed. “It’s not about what you need, but what I want to give you.”

Colin sighed. He had slouched down on the sofa, which was a bit shabby of him, but he needed to rest his head while he did all this thinking. 

There was something else, another argument or an alternative or something, gradually taking shape in his mind …

He let out another sigh, and reached to hold Richard’s nearest hand in his. Luckily it wasn’t the one with the wine glass in it. Richard shifted around a little to face him, and considered him for a long moment, while their hands lay between them, fitting together perfectly. Their joined hands grounded them through the mild aftershock of that distant quake. 

Eventually Richard carefully asked, “Will you let me, then? I don’t mean to push, but I have an appointment with my solicitor this week, and I don’t want to do anything without your consent.”

Colin curled onto his side a bit, so they were facing each other as best they could. “Richard,” he began, “if you found your someone … would you make it official?”

“If that’s what he wanted, too.” At the very thought, Richard’s smile grew poignantly sweet. 

“You’d marry him?”

“Oh, yes … Wouldn’t that be marvellous?”

“Despite the media circus ’n’ all?”

“Yes! Well, as you say, I’d be as discreet as possible, and ask the papers to respect my privacy – but whatever happened, it would be worth it! Don’t you think so?”

“Ha!” Colin couldn’t help but grin at his lovely friend. “Told you you’re a romantic!”

Richard turned a bit pink again, and dropped his head for a moment. “I suppose I shall have to plead guilty as charged!”

“All right.” Colin sat up again, feeling blessedly full of purpose now. He shifted closer to Richard so they were sitting knee against knee. “I’ll tell you what’s gonna happen – When’s your solicitor appointment exactly?”

Richard looked a tad confused, but stuttered out, “Thursday morning.”

“Good. All right. What’s gonna happen is, from now until Wednesday evenin’, I’ll be courtin’ you. Then I’m gonna pop the question.”

Richard was staring at him, hopeful and befuddled, so utterly delighted and yet still strongly protesting.

“If you say yes,” Colin continued, “you update your will like you said – half for your sister, half for your new husband-to-be.”

“Colin –”

He would not be stopped at this point, but rolled forcefully on. “If you say no, then you leave it all to Moira, all right? You’re a generous man, Richard, and I’m proud to be your friend. But I wouldn’t feel right takin’ anything that other people wouldn’t see as mine to take.”

“But it’s mine to give –”

“ _This_ way,” Colin concluded, tightening his grip on Richard’s hand to be sure he had his attention. “This way, we’ll be facin’ the noise together. See? I’m askin’ you to be in this _with_ me. Not just leave it till you’re gone, and you won’t have to face the hard stuff.”

Richard, it seemed, was just awash with affection and gratitude – but that didn’t stop him from protesting. “No, really, Colin, you’re far too young –”

“I’m thirty-two. More than time I partnered up with somebody and made a home.”

Richard’s smile was so beautifully poignant. “You’re too young for _me_.”

“Am I,” Colin said flatly, physically and metaphorically taken aback. “Am I really, Richard?” he pleaded. “We’re both adults. You’ve known me … when I wasn’t as mature, that’s so. But I’ve done some growing up and we’re on a level playing field now. Aren’t we?”

“But surely I’m far too old for you!”

“No.” Colin shook his head emphatically. “No.”

“Colin,” Richard began very gently, “I would want – I’m afraid, if I said yes, then I would want –”

“A proper marriage,” Colin supplied in husky tones. “Yes. Of course.”

“Oh, but you wouldn’t want –”

“I would, and I do. Didn’t you feel it?” he asked – and Colin pushed forward and dropped his knees to the floor, shifted in close between Richard’s thighs to embrace him, and finally to press a kiss to his mouth. The whole place rattled as the earth itself shifted. “Don’t you feel the sky tumblin’ down every time you touch me, Richard?”

There was no protest this time. Richard sat there, not seeking for more, but watching Colin carefully, and maybe at last daring to start to believe. 

“I’m not askin’ for anything right now, Richard. But I’ll be askin’ on Wednesday night. And if you answer right, then you can take me to your bed, that’ll be _our_ bed from then on, I promise, till God finally decides to part us.”

Richard pressed forward for a fierce kiss, and when it broke he murmured, “When you ask me, Colin, I’ll be answering yes.”

“Then it won’t be noise we’ll be facin’, but music, the most beautiful music, and we’ll be together through it all.”

“Amen,” said Richard. And it was as good as done.

♦


End file.
